The Piano
by Maeko
Summary: A new addition to 'Gure's house brings changes as graduation looms; but this houseguest isn't a spunky girl or jyuunishi-it's a piano. Kyou uses his musical talent to woo Tooru, but what of Yuki's progress and Tooru's college plans?
1. Prologue

Furuba

"The Piano"

Prologue

Vocabulary:

Matte kudasai: please wait.

***

"Pleeease don't break my house again!" Shigure whined, partly because that was how he usually made requests and partly because he was straining under the weight of the upright piano.  "I don't want poor Tooru chan to have to fix it again."

"Yes, please be careful," a female voice called from inside the living room.

"You lazy dog!" Kyou snarled.  Why don't _you_ do a little work around here instead of shoving it all on Tooru?"

"Kyou kun is very kind, but after all, it is my job and-"

"What do you call this?" Shigure said and grunted, apparently not realizing Tooru was speaking.  "You'll feel bad later if I get hurt and can't work and support all of you!"

"_Work_?  You call what you do _work!?"_

"Hey baka neko, stop grumbling and hold your end," Yuki said calmly as he held the back of the piano up.

"I could do this all by myself!  It's the two of you that are throwing the balance off!" he said less than calmly, struggling to hold the delicate instrument while walking backwards through the doorway.

"Sure," Yuki muttered.

"_What was that_!?"

"Nothing, baka neko.  You're hearing things."

"_Kuso nezumi_. . ." Kyou growled, the steam coming from his ears frizzing his hair.

"Whose idea was it to make pianos so heavy?" Shigure whined to shut his quibbling cousins up by distracting them.

"It's embarrassing to be in the presence of a man who whines like a baby!" Kyou exclaimed.

"That plan didn't work," Shigure mumbled.  "Ah, well at least we've gotten this thing inside!," he announced cheerfully.  "Tooru chan, we need your help!"

"Ah, yes!  Okay, keep coming.  Keep coming," she said, motioning with hands none of the men was actually in a position to see.

"Just a little more, keep coming," she continued.

"I can't see where I'm going!" Shigure announced.

"Why don't you sniff your way to the wall?" Kyou spat.

"Why don't you stop distracting people?" Yuki asked.

"A true martial artist doesn't allow anything to distract him!" Kyou retorted.

"Stop," Tooru said.

"What about yesterday, when I saw you staring at Kishida san during that quiz?"

"She was trying to copy off me!" the carrot top said.

"_Stop_!" Tooru said again.

"Did you say something, Tooru chan?" Shigure asked.

"Kishida san's too smart to cheat off a baka neko like you," Yuki said as he backed 

toward the wall.

"_STOP_!" Tooru shouted desperately.

"Huh?" Yuki said the moment before his back hit the wall and the piano, being propelled by his inattentive relatives, jammed into his chest.

"YUKI!" Tooru shrieked.  Kyou cursed loudly as he and Shigure quickly pulled the instrument back and set it down carefully.

Yuki collapsed as soon as the weight of the piano was lifted.

"Yuki kun!  Are you alright?" Tooru asked, quickly kneeling beside him.

"I think so, Tooru kun," he replied, although his words came in short gasps and his right hand clutched his shirt tightly, as if to distract himself from the pain.  Although she was a little nervous, she placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping it would be a comfort.  Yuki managed a weak smile.

"Tooru chan, why don't you go phone Ha san?" Shigure suggested.

"Ah, hai.  Right away!"  Casting one more worried-but-hopeful glance at Yuki, Tooru ran to the hall phone.

"How much does it hurt?" Shigure asked.  Now that he didn't have to worry about Tooru, Yuki could give a truthful answer.

"A lot."

"Well, he hasn't transformed so it can't be that bad!" Kyou said unkindly, but not roughly enough to hide his concern.

Yuki groaned softly.

"W-we have to do something!" Kyou stammered, feeling increasingly uncomfortable.  "Let's move him to the couch."

"I don't know if we should move him.  They say you shouldn't try to move injured people," Shigure said in his serious voice.

"I-I'm fine," Yuki said.

"_What_?  But I thought you just-"  Kyou was cut off when Shigure's elbow hit his chest.  "What was that for?" he demanded.

"Hatori san will be here as quickly as possible," Tooru said.

"Ah," Yuki said as he pushed himself into a standing position.

Shigure gave Kyou an insulting glance for not being more discreet, and Kyou, not being able to respond with Tooru just across the way, growled and put an arm around Yuki to help him to the couch.  Shigure's eyes lit up.

"Ah, what a moment!" he said, clasping his hands.

"It's not a moment!" Kyou and Yuki said in unison.

"There are no words to express what seeing this means to me!" he continued teasingly.

"Good!" the boys said, once again in unison.  They glanced at the other out of the corners of their eyes and quickly looked away in disgust.

"Where's the camera when you need it?" Shigure said and began to look around the room.  He was mostly ignored for the moment, except by Tooru, who regarded him with raised eyebrows and her blank expression that meant she wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.  Shigure then left the room ostensibly to find the camera, but he headed towards the bathroom to search the medicine cabinet for painkillers.

"I guess you can sit down by yourself," Kyou said, taking his arm back.

"Yeah."  Yuki slowly lowered himself onto the cushion, wincing.  And he'd thought getting up hurt!

"Yuki kun!" Tooru exclaimed.  Yuki quickly put on a happier face for his dear Tooru and said it was nothing.

"Uh, I'm hungry," Kyou stated and stormed out of the room.

"There are leftovers in the fridge," Tooru called after him.  Kyou gave a half grunt in response.

As Tooru gingerly sat down next to Yuki, she tried to think of something to say that would cheer him up enough to distract him from the discomfort she knew he was experiencing.  Although the boys tried to play down the situation, Tooru had grown very close to them in the time following the incident with Akito when Kazuma had conjured up Kyou's hitherto dormant true form.  Nothing any of them did could fool her right now.  In fact, it was as if she could feel Yuki's pain- almost physically feel it.  She had to try to do something to alleviate it.

"I'm sure Kyou kun really cares about how Yuki kun feels," she said.  Yuki nodded slightly.

"Perhaps."  He carefully leaned backwards and rested his head on the back of the couch.

"Does Yuki kun want a pillow?"  Yuki did not particularly feel like moving, but it was better to let Tooru feel helpful.  

"Yes, thank you."  He gritted his teeth and pulled himself up just enough to let her slip a pillow under his neck.

"Ah, much better," he said.

"I'm glad," Tooru said and managed to smile, but tears were beginning to sting her eyes.  She blinked them back furiously.  She had never been one to worry others with her feelings and she didn't want to start crying in front of Yuki now!  It would make him feel even worse. At least he wasn't looking at her.  His gaze was fixed on the window and if she were careful, he would have no idea she was about to cry.

*sniff*

"Tooru?"  Yuki regarded her from the corners of his eyes.

"Hai?"

"Are you alright?"

"Of course," she said, blinking and wiping her eyes.  "I think I just got some dust in my eye.  I guess I didn't dust this room well enough.  I really ought to do that more often-"  She was prevented from rambling further by the sudden sensation of the back of Yuki's hand caressing her cheek.

"You don't need to cry," he said gently.  "I really will be all right.  And. . . I'm sorry if I've made you upset-"

"No, no!  I'm fine!  I just want Yuki kun to feel better!"  Realizing how silly they were both acting, Tooru and Yuki burst out laughing, he a bit softer than she, knowing laughing too hard would hurt.

"Obviously, pretending isn't getting us anywhere," he said.

"No," Tooru said with the smile that made Yuki melt.  He took her hand and after a moment of consideration, she rested her head on his shoulder.  

A few minutes later, Shigure and Kyou came in from the direction of the kitchen.  

"How was _I_ supposed to know the pills were in the kitchen?" Kyou asked angrily.

"Well, there always seems to be one missing after a big fight between you and Yuki," Shigure said in an obnoxious tone.

"Stop lying!  I never take pills after fighting with that pathetic mouse!"

Just then, the cat and dog noticed Tooru and Yuki.

"Hm, comfy," Shigure said.  "Ah Yuki, you know just how to make me jealous!"  
  


"I hope Hatori san gets here soon," Yuki whispered to Tooru, who giggled.

Kyou, on the other hand, was speechless.  Tooru looked so happy cuddled up next to the stupid mouse!  Of course, she wasn't too bright about some things but still. . . he hated to admit it, he almost couldn't admit it, but Tooru and Yuki looked so natural sitting there together.  He might have stormed out again if Hatori had not arrived.

"Ooh, we were too late with these," Shigure said, shaking the medicine bottle.  Then he threw open his arms to welcome the doctor.  "Ha san!"

"I'm guessing that is the culprit?" Hatori said, indicating the piano with his black bag.

"Ah, hai," Shigure said.  "That and a few men who don't listen to sweet little girls well enough!"

"Shigure!" the cat barked.  How dare he talk about Tooru in that tone of voice. . . again?  Didn't he ever tire of sounding like a pervert?

"Well, let's take a look," Hatori said, silencing the concerned but much too noisy cat and dog.

***

That night

***

"Why are people always getting sick and injured around here?" Shigure asked no one in particular.  "It must be an extension of the Souma curse- the curse of Shigure's house!  Ahhhhhhh," he moaned.  "That's why my house is always being broken, and the people in it always seem to be broken, too-"

"SHUT UP, SHIGURE!" Kyou yelled.

"Fine, fine.  Don't sympathize with me. . ."

"Oh, go write a cheesy book or something.  Tell it to your audience," Kyou said as he took his still half-full dishes to the kitchen.

Shigure shrugged but couldn't keep a grin from appearing as he pinched a strip of seaweed between his chopsticks.

Meanwhile, Tooru had just set a tray down in front of Yuki, who was sitting up in bed.  Their eyes met and neither could think of a good reason to look away.  However, Tooru soon felt a blush creep onto her cheeks and glanced downward as she stepped back.

"Matte kudasai.  I'd like you to stay, Honda san.  I don't want to keep you from your dinner. . ." Yuki began.

"Oh, I'm not hungry!" she quickly exclaimed.  "I snuck a few bites while I was preparing it."  Yuki smiled at her cuteness and picked up his chopsticks.  Tooru pulled his desk chair close to his bed and as soon as Yuki inquired, she began to rattle off the list of things she was thinking of doing after high school.  She was about to fulfill her mother's dream of completing high school and was seriously considering applying to colleges, though she had no idea if such a plan were realistic.  Yuki tried to assure her that he would help her find a way, but as Tooru felt deeply touched by this declaration, she also felt intensely nervous and accidentally blurted out that she wondered how much he should be talking.  It must have been a strain, considering his condition.

She then apologized for having in essence told him to be quiet.

"It's alright, Honda san," he began and she once again melted into a puddle of quivering Tooru-goo.  "I understand you meant it kindly."

She smiled and thanked him quietly for his understanding.

"But please," he began, "do not give up on your dream of attending college.  You are a very disciplined and dedicated and. . . very deserving person.  I know you can make it."

This boy sure knew how to make a girl's heart flutter!  The encouragement he offered was just what she needed to hear.  Smiling again, she thanked him and, as he seemed to be feeling all right, she proceeded to ask him about his plans for the future.  They talked long after the last grain of rice had been eaten.


	2. Kyou, Meet Piano

Furuba

"The Piano"

Chapter 1

Vocabulary:

Kitanai: _adj. dirty, foul._

Cultural Note: 

In Japan,  the older and more traditional meaning of the "OK" hand sign is "money." – Mangajin's Basic Japanese Through Comics Part 2

***

Flashback

***

"I hope you two don't have plans for Friday afternoon," Shigure said after hanging up the phone.  Kyou was passing thru with a toothbrush in his mouth.

"Huh?  Naze?" he asked, sending a fleck of foam flying.

"You're so unsanitary," Yuki said from the dining room doorway.  Kyou removed the toothbrush.

"Ged ova id, guso nezumi," he managed to say.

"It's not that I mind, but I didn't think you'd want Honda san to see you looking like a rabid cat."  Kyou clenched his fists, but Shigure took a firm hold on his shoulders and pointed him in the direction of the downstairs bathroom.  Kyou took the hint and went to spit out the toothpaste.  But really, what gave the mouse the right to say that?  He had been on his way to the downstairs bathroom since Tooru needed the one upstairs!  Stupid, stupid rat.

"Well, as I was going to say before you and Kyou kun got into that little spat, we're going to be doing some babysitting for a while."  

Yuki cocked his head to one side.

"Babysitting?  Who?"

"Not who- what.  A piano."

"Piano. . . okay.  Any reason?"

"Momiji kun's father is buying Miji kun's mother a grand, so he's getting rid of the upright."

"I thought you said we were only going to be, er, 'babysitting' the piano."

"We are.  Until we can find a new home for it and hopefully make a little money off it!"  Shigure said, making an "OK" sign.

"You know what our history of taking in orphans is," Yuki said with a smile.

"Hai, but I doubt a piano could have Tooru chan's charm."

"What about Tooru?" Kyou, having just returned, asked loudly.

"She's cuter than a piano," Shigure said.

"_Nani_?" a very confused orange cat demanded.

"We're taking in a piano.  Momiji kun's father is driving it over Friday afternoon, so I hope you aren't busy.  I'll need your help to get it into the house."

"Oh.  Whatever."  Kyou shuffled his way into the kitchen.  "Where's Tooru?"

"Probably still upstairs," Yuki said.

"Geez, she's slow today.  Her hair couldn't be _that_ messed up," Kyou muttered.  Shigure put a cupped hand by his mouth and called, "Tooooru chaaaan. . ."

"Coming!" she called back, and they heard quick footsteps heading towards the stairs.

"Hey inu, where do you get off calling her 'chan'?" Kyou said angrily, leaning in close to Shigure's face. 

"Yes, that is a new thing with you," Yuki, having woken up enough to joke around, said.  "You're being awfully casual with her."

"Come on, she's lived here for over a year!  It's time to loosen up a bit."

"Not with Tooru!" Kyou said vehemently.

"Baka neko, are you actually upset?" Yuki asked.  "It's not like you ever show her any respect.  You could at least call her 'Tooru kun.'"

"Well, it's different!  I don't call her 'chan' in that perverted tone!"

"But Tooru _chan_ doesn't mind," Shigure said, emphasizing the "chan" just to anger Kyou.  "Do you, Tooru _chan?"_

"Uh, oh, no, not at all," a somewhat flustered Tooru said as she reached the bottom step.  Before Kyou could tell her how much she ought to object, she started in on her apology.  

"I'm very sorry for not being down earlier.  I'm sure you're all starving!  Uo chan is bringing her new digital camera today and I wanted to look nice for the pictures," she explained while rushing around the kitchen, flipping switches and opening cupboards.  "And wouldn't you know it, I slept on my hair funny!  But I shouldn't have been so selfish when you're all down here hungry!  If I make us late to school, I'm very, very sorry!"

"Eh, well, it was worth the extra time," Kyou said.  "You don't look ugly or anything."

"Ah."  Tooru nodded and smiled slightly.  

"Honda san always looks very nice," Yuki quickly added.

"Arigatou."  Tooru blushed.

"Shut up, nezumi!  Stop trying to be better than me!"

"I wasn't!  I was simply complimenting Honda san!"

"Right after _I_ did!"

Tooru smiled as she measured the rice.  Everything was as it should be.

***

End flashback

***

Now Kyou paced around the living room, occasionally casting particularly dark glares at the piano.  It seemed that Tooru and Yuki had been growing so much closer lately, becoming more and more casual with one another in a way Kyou couldn't seem to manage.  When Tooru had seen his horrific true form and had still wanted to be around him, still cared just as much for him as before, he felt overflowing tides of love from her- and for her.  Yuki hadn't even interfered after he'd helped Kyou to. . . calm down.  But now, especially after that piano incident he had been idiotic enough to help cause, it was just as before.  Yuki was always a step ahead of him in telling Tooru how he felt about something, in taking her hand, even in being in the same room as her!  Most of the time, anyway.  But most was too much.  

Kyou finally sat down at the piano bench.  He and Shigure had moved the piano up against the wall and brought the bench in after Hatori had given his analysis – bruised ribs – and Hatori and Shigure had helped Yuki to bed.  For some stupid, unknown reason he felt awful about Yuki's injury, but then he realized something that made the situation even worse.  With Yuki needing so much extra help, Tooru would be near him – alone with him in his room – more often!  

Speaking of Tooru, where was that girl?  She'd been gone for a while now.

Kyou stuck his head out the door in the direction of the dining room, but he heard only Shigure's chewing.  

_Maybe she's in the bathroom_, he thought, but he knew she had gone up to feed the rat.  That's just what he was.  The title fit him perfectly.  

Kyou flopped back down onto the piano bench and it squeaked a little at the impact.  He hit a key.  _Kuso nezumi_.  Another key.  _Baka nezumi_.  And another.  _Kitanai_ nezumi_.  Stopping for a moment, he stared at the black and white keys and wondered how difficult it was to learn to play the piano._

"I didn't know you were musical," he heard Shigure say.  Kyou spun to find him leaning against the doorframe.

"Is it hard to play?" Kyou asked.

"Is it hard to learn martial arts?  Is it hard to cook dinner?  It all depends."

"Hnn," was his only reply as he turned to face the piano.


	3. College Planning and Related Misundersta...

Furuba

"The Piano"

Chapter 2

Vocabulary:

Ne: Say. . .

Hontou ni daigaku ni iku: I'm really going to college (This is informal.  The formal way would substitute "ikimasu" for "iku," the dictionary form).

Tooru kun no okaasan: Tooru's mom.

Sensei: term of respect used for teachers, doctors, politicians, and yes, guidance counselors.  I checked with my Nihongo no sensei. ^_^

Cultural note: I have read that schools in Japan have half days on Saturdays.  So, Tooru and the gang attend school 5 ½ days a week!  What fun!  

Author's note: Yuki is back to calling Tooru "Honda san" for now, though he doesn't actually address her in this chapter.  You guys deserve a sweeter moment that what I originally provided and I think that will come more naturally later in the story.  ^_^

***

Monday at school, Tooru's guidance counselor stopped her in the hall on her way to class.

"See ya in class," Uo called as she, Hana and Momiji went on their way.  Tooru stood near the counselor's door to avoid being run into by inattentive students.

"Hai, Kato sensei?"

He held out a few papers.

"Since you've decided to apply to college, I found a few scholarships that I think you qualify for."

Tooru accepted them gratefully, but almost hesitated.  She realized that the possibility of really going to college hadn't hit her until now!

"Arigatou, sensei!" she said enthusiastically.

"Good luck with them," the counselor said and shut himself back up in his office.  Tooru quickly filed them in her bag and hoped she had enough time to get to class.  As soon as she jumped into the flow of the hallway, she heard a, 

"Hi, To-ru!"

"Ah, Momiji kun!  You startled me!"

"Gomen, To-ru kun," he apologized and took her arm.  "I waited for you!"  He announced the obvious looking up with his enormous, cute eyes.  Tooru giggled and thanked him.

"It's nothing.  In fact, I must be the luckiest guy in the whole school right now!"  He smiled and Tooru blushed.  It was such an easy reaction to cause, but so very rewarding.

"Ne, you seem especially happy," he commented.

"I am.  It's because my guidance counselor found some scholarships for me to apply for.  

Hontou ni daigaku ni iku!" she exclaimed.

"Yay for To-ru!" he sing-songed.  "Tooru kun no okaasan would be sooo proud!"  Well, here we are," he said, stopping in front of an open classroom door.  They had arrived with a minute to spare and the classroom was mostly full, but of the twenty some students only Kyou had noticed them.

"Ne, To-ru, I have a secret to tell you," he said and motioned for her to bend down to his height.  Not noticing the mischievous glint in his eye, Tooru complied.  Momiji cupped his hand behind her ear, but instead of whispering a secret message, he kissed her cheek- much to Kyou's chagrin.  

Tooru blushed.

Kyou growled.

Momiji waved to both of them and skipped off to class.

For some reason, Tooru could not keep herself from smiling widely.  Knowing it might look odd to some and possibly provoke a negative reaction (from Kyou more than anyone else), she covered her mouth and hoped it would go away.   Tooru had just barely reached her cluster of friends when, sure enough, Kyou exclaimed,

"Tooru, you baka!  Why do you let Momiji do that?" 

That did it.  The smile faded.

"I-I didn't know he was going to-"

"It doesn't matter!  If he can get away with that, just think what other guys will try!"

Tooru cocked her head to one side.

"What do you mean?" 

Kyou put his face in his hand.  She couldn't be THAT stupid, could she?

"Kyou kun?" Tooru asked.  Before he could berate her for being naïve, Hana stepped in and whispered something in her ear.

"OH!" she exclaimed.  "I didn't realize he was talking about THAT!"  
  


"Oi, Hanajima," Uotani exclaimed.  "What did you tell her?  Not enough to scare her, I hope.  

"No, no.  Nothing like that," she said calmly.

"Well, at least you get it now!" Kyou said rudely.  At that point, Yuki detangled himself from a few of his less insane appreciators and approached the group gathered around Kyou's desk.  He held the armful of get well cards that his absence from school on Saturday had generated.

"What are you being a jerk for now?" he asked Kyou as he rested his hand on Tooru's shoulder for a brief moment.

Now Kyou almost flipped out completely.  Just what had happened between them over the weekend?  Uo and Hana weren't particularly thrilled either, but were more successful in keeping their feelings to themselves.  They would grill their friend later to make sure Yuki wasn't moving too quickly.

The sensei entered at that moment, a briefcase tucked under his arm, and the class, led by the class president, came to order.

***

That night, Tooru sat at her desk staring at the scholarship applications.  She had filled out two of them, but the third remained mostly blank.  She hadn't gotten past writing her name because she wasn't sure this one was for her.

Two words seemed to be blinking at her.

**_…Study Abroad…_**

Tooru had not even considered leaving the island, much less leaving the country!  She didn't speak any other languages fluently and truthfully, the thought of living so far away from everything she new was more than a little frightening.  Besides, she would be so far from Uo and Hana and Kyou and Shigure and, of course, Yuki.  She wouldn't even be able to visit for winter break!  The flight would be much too expensive.  Maybe if she chose someplace close, like China or Korea… maybe.  But other than kanji, she knew nothing of Chinese and even less of Korean, and there was a language requirement.  The only other language she had studied was English and she wasn't terribly good at it.

This certainly wouldn't help her get to college!

'But,' she thought, 'if I am not chosen by the two scholarships… and even if I am, they could be applied to this one, if I decide to go…'

She hastily filled out her personal information.  All that remained was her choice of location and the personal essay on why she wanted to study abroad.  There were really only three logical choices: England, America and Australia.  She ruled out Australia quickly because she knew she'd never understand the accent.  It was a toss up between the United States and England.  When she finally chose, it didn't come down to anything about the schools or the sightseeing.  She remembered Ayame saying he had a store in New York.  Of course, for all she knew, he could have one in London too, but she probably wouldn't have a chance to ask him before the scholarship's due date.  At least in New York there would be a connection to home and the Souma family.  She quickly checked the box and began prewriting for her essay.

***

An arm flew in front of his face and blocked the entry to the living room.  The accompanying voice spoke commandingly.

"Out with it, nezumi." 

Yuki was briefly taken aback- but only because he hadn't a clue as to what the cat was referring to.

"Out with what?  And if you want to have a civilized discussion, why don't you get out of my way?"

Kyou did not remove his hand from the doorjamb, but leaned closer to Yuki's face, his eyes narrowing- another implied threat.

"Don't act like you're so innocent!  Just what were you doing with Tooru that night she disappeared during dinner?"

Yuki sighed and wondered as he often did if Kyou ever tired of bickering all the time.

"We talked."

"Don't lie, kuso nezumi!"

"You know, you aren't very creative with your insults."

"What, are you trying to be some modern day girly Shakespeare?  Cuz if so, you suck at it!  Well, at the Shakespeare part, anyway," Kyou offered, knowing the "girly" part would hurt.  Of course Yuki wouldn't show it, but it would.

"But 'baka' fits you so well."

"Yeah, well you're- stop trying to change the subject!" Kyou said, his fist balled tightly.

"I told you what happened." Yuki said flatly.

Kyou was less than happy.  He couldn't ask what they had said without sounding pathetic.  So, he opted for fuming and storming out onto the porch.

Tooru was coming down the back stairs and when she saw Kyou, one of the million questions bouncing around in her brain popped out.

"Ano, Kyou kun?"

"What?" he said, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to wipe the scowl away.  It wasn't meant for Tooru and she saw it too often.

"If say, something happened… like, if Akito san got angry with me again and sent me away… would you… would you miss me?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" he asked roughly.  "I thought we handled all that.  You're here and you're staying.  Why would you even ask something like that?"

Tooru realized her phrasing had been, well, stupid.  Imprudent.  And most of all, insensitive.  Why hadn't she been able to think of a better hypothetical situation?

"Gomen, Kyou kun.  I-I was…  It was a stupid thing for me to say.  P-please forget I m-mentioned it," she said, stumbling over her words.  'Really,' she thought.  'After everyone seeing Kyou's true form… and Akito… what an idiot I am.  I'll be lucky if he ever speaks to me again!'  She turned and ran upstairs, tears welling up at the memory.

"Dammit," Kyou muttered.  "Tooru!  Matte."  She paused where the steps took a turn to the left.

"I," he began, but didn't want to chance being overheard by the rat.  "C'mere," he said and dragged her up the steps by the wrist.  He stopped at the stop of the stairs, forgetting to relinquish her arm. 

"Don't be upset okay?  I didn't mean to be rude, all right?"

"I know you didn't.  I thought I was-"

"Well, you weren't, so get over it.  Now tell me what's up."

Tooru was glad he hadn't been upset by her analogy.  But, speaking of analogies, she couldn't think of another one with him holding her wrist and staring at her like that.

"I. . . I just wanted to know if you would miss me, if I ever had to leave," she was finally able to get out, albeit rather softly.

Miss her?  What was she trying to say?

"Eh, yeah.  Of course.  But you're not going anywhere so why ask?"

That hadn't come out quite the way he had wanted it to.  He wanted to ask if she was planning on going somewhere- if her crappy family wanted her back.  But no, he had to go and say it like that.

"No, I'm not going anywhere," was all she could say.

"Good," he said gruffly.  Somewhere in the middle of the conversation he had realized his negligence in letting go of her wrist.  He longed to slide his fingers down to hold her hand. . . she was watching him with such a soft expression. . . she might let him.  Nah, he shouldn't be so presumptuous and this moment was quite awkward enough.  

He dropped her wrist (but not without allowing one finger to graze it as her arm fell) and quickly descended the stairs, Tooru in tow.  


	4. Rin to PIANO to KISU Rin, piano, kiss

Furuba

"The Piano"

Chapter 3

Vocabulary – because I know you want to learn Japanese, if you don't yet know it!:

Gomen: Sorry 

Kagura chan wa, 'hora' tte.: Kagura says 'hey.'

Yamete: Stop! 

Fushinsetsu na: unkind, inconsiderate

Desu: is

Da: short/informal form of "desu"

Kyou kun wa fushinsetsu da yo!: Kyou's mean!

Daijoubu desu ka?: Are you all right?

Daijoubu desu: I'm/it's all right

Ano: Um…

Kirei na: beautiful (also means clean)

Ii: good

***

What had Kyou been thinking?  He had led Tooru straight to the rat.  And now they were all chatty on the couch.  Really.  What had he been thinking?  

He got up roughly from his chair.

"Kyou kun?" Tooru asked.  Sweet Tooru, she expected him to stay and hang out with them.  Ha.

"I'm bored," he announced.  "I'm gonna go find something else to do."

"Oh, gomen, Kyou kun.  I didn't mean to bore you."

"Shut up.  It's not your fault."

Yuki said nothing.  He had no reason to.  The cat was leaving and now he could spend some time alone with Tooru, insult free.

Kyou left the room just in time to see Rin leaving Shigure's office.  He wondered why she had been in there.  Could it have been Souma family business?  Or was it…  He grimaced.  That was a really nasty image.

Well, he had seen her.  She might as well say something now.

"Hey, Kyou."

"Hey, Rin."  He shuffled past her into the kitchen.  Maybe if he snuck into the fridge and threw away all the leeks he would feel better.  But then he might ruin one of Tooru's recipes… darn it.  Well, maybe he could find something else interesting to root through in there.  

A minute later, as he was reaching for the box of cheese crackers, the beautiful lilting notes of Moonlight Sonata floated in.  Who was playing the piano?

He reentered the living room to find Rin seated at the piano, and Tooru, Yuki and Shigure her enraptured audience.  She caught Kyou's eye and said,

"It went a little out of tune in the move."

Kyou shrugged.  He wouldn't know.  And it wasn't like he could help it.  Or wait, maybe he could have…  He growled softly and leaned against the door frame.

After Rin finished and her audience clapped and praised her, Shigure had the nerve to say,

"You know, Rin kun, Kyou kun here was thinking of learning to play the piano."

"I WAS NOT!" Kyou immediately replied.

"Oh, you were?" Tooru said with her patented gleeful delight.  "That's so wonderful!"  
  
_Damn,_ Kyou thought.  He couldn't disappoint her.

"Yeah, well, I just said I wondered if it were hard…"

"You won't know unless you try," Shigure said in that scheming tone.  He was always up to something.  Or maybe he just liked to appear as if he were always up to something.  Kyou didn't care.  He just wished he'd shut up in front of the mouse, who was due to make a comment in about five, four, three, 

"Yes, you won't know if you're just a little bad or truly untalented until you try," Yuki said.

He was early.

"Yuki kun!" Tooru said with a gasp.

"Sorry, neko," Yuki said, "just trying to motivate you.  Really."

Kyou scoffed at that.  _More like showing his true colors_, he thought.

"If you'd like," Rin said, rising from the bench, "I can teach you."  Tooru clasped her hands and her eyes lit up.  Yuki was watching Tooru.  Shigure wore a suspiciously innocent expression.

"Eh, whatever.  If you're not busy or anything."

"I'm busy most weekends, so I'll have to come over after you get out of school.  I don't have afternoon or night classes on Monday or Wednesday and I don't have night classes on Thursday.  Pick a day."

"Uh, Wednesday.  I don't really care."

"Actually, I think twice a week would be better.  One day for theory, one day for piano.  Wednesday afternoon and Thursday nights."

"Sure, uh, thanks."

Rin nodded, and said her goodbyes.

"Oh, Rin kun, it's awfully dark out there.  Shall I walk you home?" Shigure asked.  She turned back halfway and raised an eyebrow.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"My lonely heart is beating faster as we speak."

"Give it my apologies," she said with a sly smile. 

"Oh, cruel, cruel Rin san," Shigure said with a similar smile.  "Always leave them wanting more, as they say."

"Something like that."  She was almost out the door when she remembered she had promised to deliver a message.  But she would feel silly delivering it, so she simply said,

"Ah, Kyou, Kagura chan wa, 'hora' tte."

"Hmph."

***

The next day, Tooru went to see her guidance counselor before lunch to hand in the applications.  She did feel a little guilty hiding it from her friends, but she probably wouldn't be accepted anyway, so it wouldn't matter.  She then decided she had better ask Kato sensei about some smaller schools close to home.  Her chances would be better.  

Slipping away from her friends hadn't been easy.  She finally realized the only thing to do would be to actually tell them where she was going, but try to avoid saying why.  Which, as it turned out, wasn't very hard.

"Your guidance counselor?  What kind of guidance do you need that you can't get from us?  Thrust your lower palm into their nose; if it's a guy, knee him in the groin.  That's all you need to know," Uo said with a chuckle.

"You're a freak," Kyou said.

"Takes one to know one, Kyon-kyon!" she said and ruffled his hair.

"Hey, hey, quit it!"

"Oh, harder, you said?  _Sure…_" 

"Yamete!  It's not fair!  I can't fight a girl!"

"Why not?  I can take you!  C'mon, you know you want to," she said huskily.

"Yeah, I wanna kick your Yankee butt!"  She finally let up and released his orange locks.  

"Shoulda known he likes it that way," Uo said to Hatsuharu, who almost smiled.

Kyou roughly smoothed his hair once, but when no one was looking, discreetly licked his palm and put it back into place.  Not that he cared if anyone thought he was vain (he most definitely was not vain and could either prove it or beat whoever said it into submission).  He just couldn't endure another cat remark.

"Hey," Uo said, looking around.  "Where'd Tooru chan go?"

"Guidance," Hana told her.

"Yeah, you weren't paying attention," Momiji explained.  "She wouldn't even let me go with her!  What kind of gentleman am I if I can't get her to let me escort her to the office? he said dramatically.

"You're no kind of gentleman – you're a kid!" Kyou snarled.

"Kyou kun wa fushinsetsu da yo!" Momiji moaned.

"AM NOT!  And quit whining!" 

***

"Yuki kun?" Tooru said as she knocked on his door that night.

"Honda san, what is it?  Daijoubu desu ka?"    
  


"Hai.  Ano… may I come in?"

Yuki was slightly taken back by her question.  No, actually, he was outright shocked by Tooru wanting to come in without an obvious reason, but he didn't show it.  He was the prince.

"Of course."  He moved aside to let her in and pulled his desk chair out for her to sit on.  When he looked back up, she was sliding the door shut.  Another surprise.

"I just don't want anyone to know I'm here," she explained and sat down.  "I have something to tell you and… I am worried that you won't be happy to hear it."

Yuki felt that he ought to sit down for this and perched himself on the edge of his bed.

"When we spoke the other night about my maybe going to college, there was something I left out."

She paused a moment and Yuki waited patiently for her to continue.  Well, he didn't actually feel patient.  But he was darn good at looking it.

"My guidance counselor gave me a few scholarship applications to fill out.  One was in connection to a program at a college.  The other two were only financial aid."

"Did you fill them out?"

"Hai.  I handed them in today.  Demo… there is something about the college application… it's a study abroad program."

_Study abroad… just how abroad is abroad?_ Yuki wondered with dread.

"Ah, I see.  Do… Um…" he swallowed to collect himself.  "Where do you want to go, Honda san?"

"Oh, I don't want to go anywhere!  I love it here with you and Shigure san and Kyou kun!  Demo… this particular school is, well… I have a better chance of getting into it than schools here of the same quality.  Though I did bring home a few applications for local schools…  They'll help me get a better paying job, at least."

"But you want to see the world."

"Hai, I think I do.  But not without you!  I don't want to leave you…"  Hm, that was quite the declaration.  Embarrassed, she lowered her gaze to her lap.  Yuki reached over and tilted her chin up so he could look in her eyes when he said this… and he could say it.  Really, he could do it. 

"Honda san, if you are accepted to this school, I want you to go.  Not because I won't miss you… I will.  Terribly.  Demo, studying in another country would be a great opportunity that you should not pass up.  I would not want you to regret not going later."

Tooru blushed.  Yuki made her feel so wonderful, especially lately, now that they were spending more time together just talking.  Though they had been living in the same house for a while and had become good friends, Yuki had kept up part of his princely wall, moat and all.  Bit by bit, Tooru had been poking out the bricks and now there was a hole almost large enough for her to fit through.  In other more normal words, Tooru and Yuki were on the verge of becoming true confidants.

"I wouldn't regret it," she began.  He was still looking into her eyes and Tooru found it impossible to break the gaze.  Not that she wanted to, but she should, shouldn't she?  Oh, even if such a thing were possible, she did not want to.  There was something about his eyes… obviously they were beautiful, like polished amethysts, but they also had a  spellbinding quality that probably originated within the tiny spark of light she saw behind them.  Yuki would not have believed her if she told him she saw it.  His life had been too full of pain; he probably thought Akito had extinguished his inner light long ago, but it was there, drawing her in, deeper and deeper.  It had a hold on her, and it made her say things… 

"I wouldn't regret it at all.  Not if I were with you."  She gasped and her hand flew to her impetuous mouth.  

There was Yuki's third fourth shock of the evening.  He briefly went over the list.  First was Tooru being there at night.  That was risqué enough.  Second was Tooru closing the door, although that did make sense considering she had been about to share a secret.  Third was the actual secret, which hadn't been so wonderful by itself, but it did seem to be bringing them closer.  Literally.  Their noses were only a few inches apart.

Which was part of the fourth surprise.  Did she really just say what he thought she did?  Saying she didn't want to leave was one thing.  She had said that before.  But this…  What could he say to it?

Nothing.  If he didn't want to ruin the moment.

He pulled her hand away from her mouth and held it between them.

"Yu-Yuki kun, I-" a nervous Tooru stammered.  Suddenly, his confidence was on the rise.  He pressed a finger gently to her lips; her eyelids closed without her permission.  But even though she could not see his eyes, the trance had not been broken.  In fact, the feeling of perfect contentment she had experienced until now swelled to absolute joy.  

Yuki brushed his fingers against her cheek and she tilted her head so it rested in his palm.  He had seen girls in movies do that and wondered if that happened in real life.  He was glad it did.  It was cute.  Of course, most things Tooru did were cute.

_Sweet Tooru_, he thought and tried to imagine her off in the world, living by herself.  She seemed so vulnerable, especially now.  Could she manage it?

_Wait a minute… what am I thinking?_  This was Tooru, the girl who took care of three dysfunctional men and their house while protecting their secret.  This was Tooru, who had braved tent life… Tooru who had braved _Akito_… and who had lived to tell about it.  He shuddered at the thought of the Souma clan head.  Tooru's eyes popped open.

"Daijoubu desu ka?" she breathed in a tender whisper.

_…kirei da…_

"Hai, daijoubu desu."

"Ii," she sighed, barely audible. 

What was with him tonight?  When she spoke to him so kindly in that airy tone he just wanted to hold her forever.  Well actually, that was normal.  The difference was tonight he did what he wanted.

Pressing his cheek against hers, he ran his fingers through her silky hair.  He still held her hand and took the liberty of stroking it with his thumb.  Her skin was a little dry, no doubt the result of all the hard work she did, but it only made him admire her more.

Tooru's free hand floated halfway to his arm.  Though she was fairly sure he would not object, apprehension gripped her.  What if she didn't know what to do?  But she wanted to hold him… and she had to be brave enough to do it.  Otherwise he might think she didn't care and he would release her hand and turn away from her.  He might never hold her hand again!  She didn't think she could live with that.  Having her hand held by Yuki was a lovely feeling…

Her fingertips finally brushed his shoulder.  _Now what?  _She smoothed her hand over the silk of his sleeve and onto his back.  _Just as if I were giving him a hug, she thought.  __I wish I could…_

Yuki's thoughts were much the same at that point.  _As long as I don't get too close… _  But he needed to be closer to her.  He had needed it for a long time.  

Shifting his knees to the side, he ran his hand down her neck and halfway down her spine before letting go – but only briefly – to pull the rolling chair nearer.  Her knees were squished against the side of the mattress but she ignored it.  After all, closer equaled better- to an extent.  But as long as she didn't suddenly find herself face to face with mouse form Yuki, things would be fine.  Besides, even if he couldn't hug her properly, he was doing some very interesting things with his hands.

And in perfectly acceptable places.  Hands, neck, back, nothing terribly scandalous.  Nothing she hadn't seen on TV.

Still, she blushed uncontrollably.  She couldn't help it.  She blushed if he looked at her during dinner.

_I wonder if I should be doing something,_ she thought.  _I should, right?  Instead of sitting here like a bump on a log.  What does he want me to do?  Maybe I should copy him?  He knows what he's doing.  Little did Tooru know, Yuki was making it up as he went along.  A bit he had seen on TV and the rest was whatever came to him at the moment- massaging her hand, stroking her back, tracing designs up and down her neck._

Another thing she did not know was that Yuki was second guessing most every move he made.  Tooru was being rather unresponsive and he had to listen carefully for changes in her breathing to determine whether or not she approved.  So far, so good.  At least, he hoped.  

She hadn't screamed, right?

But the biggest question bouncing around in his mind like a pinball was... should he kiss her?  He ought to have been grateful just for that moment.  He was, he told himself.  Very much so.  He never thought he would hold a girl that way.  He had convinced himself that it just wasn't possible, that it might never be.  Yet here she was, the most wonderful girl he knew, in his arms.

And he was thinking about more.

_Selfish.  I'm selfish_, he told himself.  _I'm only thinking about what I want.  How do I know that's what Tooru wants?_  

Tooru tightened her hold on Yuki and began to massage his back with the ball of her hand.

_I think she'd be okay with that_, he thought.

And there was only one way for the ever gentlemanly prince to go about a kiss.

He pulled back so his lips were near her cheek and whispered,

"May I kiss you?"

Tooru stiffened, but forced herself to relax.

_Kiss… that would be a good thing.  A very good thing.  Why won't my lips move?_

"H-hai," she finally got out.

Meanwhile, in a room down the hall, Shigure is have dream of Engrish.

And on the roof, Kyou was deciding that the only way he'd have a chance with Tooru would be to somehow tell her how he felt… 

***

Yuki walked Tooru to the door a few minutes later and they said their awkward but sweet goodnights.

"I'll see you in the morning," Tooru said.  "I'll make American pancakes… I remember you liked those."

"Yes, I did."  And before his confidence rush ended, he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Tooru san."

Tooru could only smile in response as she slipped out the door.

***

Does anyone know how to request permission to kiss someone in Japanese?  Er, to request permission in Japanese, that is…  And not too formally, either, though Yuki is like Mr. Silk Shirt on Saturday.  How would a Japanese speaker say it, right at the moment (assuming they would ask, but for the purposes of this story, I am!  ^_^)?


	5. The Aftermath

Chapter 4

Vocabulary is within the text.

The next day, as the drama of romance began to slip into her life, Tooru realized just what a complicated thing a kiss could be.

"Sheesh, if you people are DEAF, let me know, OKAY?" Kyou fumed as he reached across the table for the fruit topping.  Tooru and Yuki had no idea the cat had asked for anything and could only blush confusedly, and in Tooru's case, apologize for having neglected him.

As usual, Shigure seemed to have his love radar fully equipped, and used it for his amusement.

"Ne, Tooru chan, I am working on a new shoujo book [stories aimed at a girl audience].  It details the delightful romance of a normal high school girl and a popular boy in her class," he said casually.

Yuki dropped a chopstick on the floor. 

"Hontou? [Really?]  Hana will want to know when it's published," she said as she went to fetch her love a clean set of chopsticks.

Yuki wished to have a word with the dog, or at least send an ominous glare his way, but Shigure would not allow him to catch his eye, and he could not say anything that would reveal to the cat what had transpired between himself and Tooru.  'Gure simply chewed his pancake with a mild expression, not even allowing his inner smile to show on his face.

Tooru returned and handed Yuki the chopsticks.

"Thank you."

They stared at each other for another few seconds until Tooru knocked over the marmalade.

"Ne, Shigure san, you were telling us about your latest book?" she recovered, hastily wiping up the mess.

Yuki stabbed a strawberry and watched it bleed juice.  This was not going to be the enjoyable meal he had expected.

"Hai, of course, of course.  Well, it stars a pretty young brunette named Sanyu, who, through a series of very interesting coincidences, learns that her crush, Haruki, likes her back."

"Oh, did you name the boy after Hatsuharu kun?"

"Um… actually, no."

"Ah."

"Yeah, but I'm having difficulty with part of it.  Alas, this writers' block will mean the end of my career if I can't get past it!  I need inspiration!  Oh, it's not so bad for me, but what will become of my young charges-"

"What now!?" Kyou asked.  Shigure ignored him.

"-if I cannot support them?  I suppose they could live at the Souma house… oh, Tooru chan, will you help me?"

"Hai!"

"You're so kind.  I think my problem is that I don't understand the life of a high school girl very well."

"That's assuming you only have one problem," Yuki said.

"Yes, and it's a problem easily solved by more frequent contact with adolescent girls – purely for research, you understand."

"NO!" Yuki and Kyou said in stereo, glared at one another, and then ravenously scarfed down about two more pancakes each.

"How can I help?" Tooru asked Shigure.

"Well…" he said in an oily manner.

_Do not respond, do not encourage him_, Yuki repeated in his mind.

"Just tell me how a normal teenage girl might handle a confession of love from the boy she deeply cares for, who also happens to be the most admired boy at her school."

One of Yuki's chopsticks snapped in half.  Tooru made an eep-like sound.  Yuki smiled mildly.

"I still have two chopsticks.  Daijoubu desu."

"Ah hai, that's true," she said and smiled, very cutely, Shigure noted.

"So about my question…" he prompted.

"Hai," she said.  "Well… I suppose… um…" her heart rate picked up a bit and her hands began to sweat.

"I guess it would help if I provided some background?"

"No," Yuki said.  Tooru glanced at him questioningly.

"How about this," Shigure said.  "Miss Normal High School Girlie, through a completely random event involving a mischievous but endearing dog, becomes friends with the most handsome boy in school.  They chat, get to know one another over a bowl of udon [Japanese noodle soup], and eventually, on a park bench in view of the setting sun," Shigure paused dramatically and snuck a peek at an enraptured Tooru from beneath the back of his hand, placed fittingly against his brow.  In a softer, wistful tone he continued, "he confesses his love for her." 

Tooru sighed dreamily.

"What say you, Honda san?"

"Fake politeness," Kyou growled, though with a bit less emphasis than usual.  He didn't like the scene Shigure was painting at all, but could not think of a distraction that would not reveal his jealousy.  In love with the most popular boy, indeed.

"Oh, right," Tooru said, waking up from her daydream.  "Anou… [um…]"

"Give me your gut reaction!" Shigure said, leaning over the table.

"Well, she's excited," Tooru began.  "And scared.  And probably very very nervous.  She… she would… I don't know what she would say…" Not knowing what kind of person this character was, Tooru could not speak for her.  If she were like Uo or Hana, Tooru could take a guess.  If she were like herself, she would be too busy trying to remember how to breathe.  And if she were like the Love-Me-Yuki fangirls, well, Tooru wasn't sure what they would say.  If they didn't die on the spot, they would probably know the right thing to say.  But they would never have the opportunity to say it to Yuki, because Yuki cared for Tooru.  All that practicing gone to waste, and she hadn't been prepared at all.  How ironic.

"Helloooo, Tooru chan?" Shigure waved a hand before her eyes.

"Oh, well, I, um, don't really know.  I guess I can't help."

Yuki's white knuckles and set jaw sent Shigure a very specific message.

"Daijoubu.  Thank you for your honest reaction.  I'm sure it will help."

Shigure was so nice, but Tooru knew she hadn't been any help at all.

"Actually, if I just tell you how she would feel, you could come up with the words, ne, Shigure san?"

"Well, I think I could do that…"

"Tooru san, Shigure kun is a very creative person.  I think he can imagine it."

"No, he cannot," Shigure said.

"She would feel like her heart had grown to fill her chest, not leaving any room for her lungs," Tooru said quietly.  "Everything else she had to think about would suddenly fly out of her mind."  She paused, trying very hard not to look at Yuki and reveal the truth to the others.  "She would feel that, even if everything was wonderful before, things were suddenly… right.  Can you work with that, Shigure san?"

Shigure blinked.

"Hai, to omoteiru. [Yes, I think.]" 

"Yokatta [I'm glad].  Now, I'd better clean up these dishes."

"I'm leaving," Kyou announced.

"You're not going to walk with us?" Tooru asked.

"Uh… I gotta be there early, just remembered."

Kyou was out the door a second later.  Once again, he had to mentally smack himself.  He had been rude to Tooru, he had given up an opportunity to be near her, and he had left her to walk to school with the rat.  But there was nothing he could do about that now.  He felt like cow form Haru had just squished his heart under a hoof.  If only he could make Tooru feel the way the girl in her description did… he would give anything to do it.

Meanwhile, back in the house, Yuki helped Tooru clear away the dishes and tried to cheer her up about Kyou's sudden departure.

Shigure made a weak excuse for needing to leave the room and retreated to his office.  As soon as he shut the door, he burst out into giggles, which he stifled in his robe.

"Kawaiiiiiiiii! [(they're so) Cuuuuuuute!]"

Ato de, gakkou de… [Later that day, at school…]

Kyou hit Momiji (at least, according to Momiji, he did).  As a result he got yelled at by Haru.  And sustained a bloody nose from Black Haru, but not much else.  As he sat on a cot in the nurse's office, a rough off-brand tissue stuck halfway up one nostril, he pondered the conundrum that Momiji's unexplainable cheerfulness had distracted him from. 

There were a few facts he was certain of.  One was that he liked Tooru.  Another was that Tooru deserved to be liked by someone special.  The final one was that he wasn't very special.

But there was another thing.  For some reason, Tooru thought he was special.  Yeah, for some reason… probably the same reason someone gave Joanie and Chachi their own show.  Because someone didn't have a clue how the universe worked.

Which was why Kyou sometimes questioned Tooru's perceptive abilities.  For a girl who could make everything just short of perfect, she didn't notice a lot of really obvious things.  Such as his stupidity.

Or maybe his failings simply didn't bother her.  Either that or…

…Haru was looking at him again.

"CUT THAT OUT!" Kyou yelled across the closet sized nook.

"Gomen [sorry]," White Haru responded unconcernedly.  "There isn't much else to look at.  The posters gross me out."

And a guy with a tissue up his nose didn't?

Kyou gruffly muttered something to that effect and turned his back on cow boy.

Now where was he?

Oh yeah.  Tooru liked him, he really liked her, and she had no clue that he wasn't worthy of anything more.  But there was the possibility that she might not care about that. 

The question was what to do about it. 

And he had to do something about it.  It was getting on his nerves that all this mental blathering embarrassed him.

"Are you looking at me again?!" he asked.

"Iie.  Atama no ushiro wa tsumaranai. [No.  The back of your head is boring.]"

"Hn."

True enough.

It would be taking advantage of Tooru to come right out and say how he felt.  She was so kindhearted and emotiony and stuff; her reaction would be a combination of sincere feelings and whatever it took not to hurt his.  It would be much too confusing. 

That and he'd probably choke when he tried to get the words out, coward that he was.

If he could let her know without directly informing her of his deep and slightly unsettling love for her, she'd figure out what to do.  Maybe her mother had once told her how to deal with messed up guys. 

But then there was the issue of getting Tooru to notice his hint. 

"Grrrr…" he growled in frustration.

"Daijoubu desu ka? [Are you all right?]" the nurse asked Kyou, giving Haru a more sophisticated looking ice pack for a bruise that did not actually bother him.

"Onaka ga suiteiru. [I'm hungry.]  Those teachers dragged me out of lunch."

"Well, you shouldn't have been fighting.  Besides, eating with a bloody nose must be a messy affair."

"Yameta to omou.  [I think it's stopped.]"

"Good to hear.  I guess you'll be fit to sit in class now."

"Whatever."

And so the nurse sent Kyou and Haru back to their classes.  They walked side by side for a bit, ignoring each other.  Kyou was still lost in his thoughts, and Haru was looking for landmarks. 

"Oi [hey].  A battle of the bands."

"Huh?"

Haru indicated the bright blue flyer on the bulletin board.  It read:

"Got talent?  Then we wanna see it!  Try out for the first annual battle of the bands on Friday…"

"That's a crappy flyer," Kyou said and went on his way.

Lunchtime under a tree.  There's no finer way to spend it.  Especially when dreaming of the one you love.  Who's stuck in a student council meeting…

"Tooru chan, you're glowing," Hana said, twirling a lock of her love struck friend's hair around her finger.

"Ah, hontou [really]?  Am I?  Oh my, did I get a sunburn?"

"Haaaah, no use in trying to cover it up, Tooru chan… you've been hit by Cupid's arrow!  Our little girl's in love," Uo said, and hugged Tooru.  "So tell us, which one is it?"

"Ohh…" Tooru said, looking at the little clumps of grass like they were more that just little clumps of grass.  "Well, something nice did happen the other evening… I was asking Yuki-"

"The prince.  Our suspicions confirmed," Hana said.

"You knew?"

"We figured from the way he put his hand on your shoulder the other day that he was about to make a move.  _Finally_," Uo added under a cough.

"Oh.  Well no, it wasn't like that.  You see…"

She told the story in meticulous yet modest detail, something possible, it seemed, only for Tooru.

"So he asked you for permission to kiss you.  Good,"  Hana said.

"After all, he is the prince," Uo added.  "But it's not as if Tooru would have said no."

"Well," Tooru blushed.  "I did want him to…"

"Kawaii!"  Uo hugged her again.  "But now, for the serious part.  We know that Souma san is a gentleman and all, but if he ever tries anything, you can say no.  You know that, ne?"

"What would he try?"

"Okay, say… he wants to kiss you more than you want to kiss him."

Tooru laughed and blushed.

"I don't think that will be the case."

Uo and Hana exchanged glances.  Silence.  Uo raised an eyebrow and twitched.

"I give up for now," Uo said, "I don't want to tarnish her!  It's your turn."

"Tooru chan," Hana began gently.  "You're so innocent.  And boys are so horny.  This is why we're concerned."

"ARA??? [HUH?]"

Uo slumped over.

"It's the truth," said Hana.

"Oh, but not Yuki kun.  He's special!  He would never try anything, not ever!"

"Tooru, 'Yuki kun' is still a boy," Uo lectured.  "Albeit a very feminine and pretty one, but still, he's got some hormones in there somewhere.  And sometimes, the hormones take over and they make stupid moves that they wouldn't otherwise make."

"Even with a wonderful martial artist like him, who has such self control?"

Uo chuckled.

"Even martial artists.  I once dated this Tae Kwon Do blackbelt – oh, erm, nevermind.  What can I say?  Boys are boys.  Gotta keep 'em in line." She punched her palm.

Tooru opened her mouth to speak, but Uo interceded.

"_Even_ a good one, like Souma san.  He's been a slow one, but just in case the speed picks up and you're not comfortable with it, just be prepared to say no.  Multiple times, if necessary!"

"I think he'll listen well.  Souma san has a gentleness to his waves.  They are intense in a way, but that may only be his strong presence.  Still, I cannot be certain."  She placed a hand on Tooru shoulder.  "Do be careful."

"And we'll back you up, always!"

"Ah…" Tooru said, wondering how things could get like that between Yuki and she.  "A-arigatou, Uo chan, Hana chan."

They had to be wrong.

Back in class, the girls were fawning over Yuki, who insisted he was feeling much better and that there was no need to worry.  Tooru was beginning to regret having sat down at the desk next to him and inched away.  She did not appreciate having Minami's rear in her face.

"Good afternoon, class," the sensei said as she set her briefcase down.

"Good afternoon sensei," the class replied, half in a post-lunch monotone and half in frantic squeals as they scurried to their desks.

Yuki caught Tooru's eye and smiled apologetically.  Hopefully the class would go by quickly and they could have a chance to talk again!

No such luck.

So the prince did something slightly unprincely.  He passed her a note.

'I'm sorry I couldn't have lunch with you,' it read.  'I missed you during the meeting.'

Tooru bit her lip and blushed.  If only he knew what else he had missed.

'It's all right, though I missed you, too.' 

Now to pass it back to him.  She had not seen how Yuki got it to her desk, and wasn't sure she could find a way subtle enough.  The teacher's back was almost constantly turned away, as she wrote things on the board, but that didn't make things any easier.  Motoko was sitting in front of Yuki, and kept swishing her hair back and forth over his desktop.  If she turned at the wrong moment, she might see Tooru!  Given a choice, Tooru would have picked being caught by Sensei any day.

'Be brave!' she told herself.  'Go for it!'  She tossed the note sideways; it landed near his foot.  Yuki calmly picked it up as if he had been reaching for a pencil.  He ignored Motoko's hair swishing into his face as he came back up.

'This class is taking forever, ne?' he replied.

'Hai, it seems longer than usual.'

'Are you understanding everything?'

'Most of it.  How about you?'

'Same here.' Modesty.  He understood it all and was bored to tears.  'I actually read the chapter last night.  This feels like a review.'

'Well, Yuki kun is very bright!'

'So is Tooru san.  If you want, we could sneak out a little early.  I'll teach you what you miss tonight.  What do you think?'

SNEAK OUT?  Tooru had to bite her lip to keep from squeaking or making some equally embarrassing noise.  That did not sound like Yuki.  But they hadn't been able to spend lunch together… and if it were only for the last few minutes of class…  She glanced at the clock.  Twenty six minutes left.  'Aah!  It's so long!' she thought.  Yuki's idea sounded pretty good.

'All right, but I don't know how.'

'Great! Just ask to go to the bathroom.  Leave your things.  I'm sure Uotani san or Hanajima san will pick them up for you.  I'll meet you on the roof a couple minutes later.'

Tooru felt like dancing in her seat. 

Then something hit her.

With twenty minutes alone on the roof, what could happen?  What if Uo and Hana were right and Yuki behaved badly?  The thought of it made her heart rate pick up and her palms sweat.  Sneaking out of class certainly didn't sound like Yuki at all.  Perhaps he had other hidden traits…  But no, she had to calm herself.  This was Yuki, the prince, the epitome of gentlemanliness. 

She turned to him and gave a small nod.  He smiled.  She melted.  Again.

A minute later she was in the hallway and felt such a strange feeling of freedom.  It was just the hallway, same old same old.  But now that it was empty, she felt a sense of ownership.  She could go wherever she wanted with no people to bump into her and especially no Yuki fangirls.  But her destination was set.  She turned the corner and almost ran right into Kyou.

'Thank God I took out that tissue,' he thought.  Well, that was his second thought.  His first was along the same lines of everything else he'd been thinking that day, only intensified and involving words like "oh," "my," "God," "so" and "beautiful."

They'd frozen in place; Tooru was still holding her breath.  Kyou would have defaulted to snapping at her, but she'd put her hand out in front of her to prevent the "pyon" and it was currently resting against Kyou's chest.  As it was, he was currently without speech capabilities.

"Ah, gomen ne!  I almost made you a kitty!"

"Meh," he forced out.  "It coulda been worse.  I could be a cat right now."

"That's true." 

"Oh!" she exclaimed.  Her hand moved away, leaving a cold spot over his heart.  Well, it was more like over his breastbone, but yeah, taking romantic liberties.

"Are you all right?" she asked, rubbing her thumb on his cheek.

"Na-nani?"

"You have a bruise.  From your fight."

Fight…

"Oh, yeah, that."  The stupid fight that she had witnessed… if not for that idiot Haru he could have spent a Yuki-free lunch with Tooru.  Did the gods of fate hate him that much?  Making him the cat was one thing, but denying him alone time, well, non-Yuki-presence time with Tooru was really over the top.

"I wish you two wouldn't fight," she said.

"Yeah, I guess I wish so, too.  But sometimes when a guy's a jerk, you have to deal with it, ya know?"

"Um… I guess."

Her hand still rested on his cheek.

"You don't agree, do you?  You think I'm an idiot."  He turned away, removing her hand with his own.  He shouldn't be enjoying her touch when her feelings were so far from the same.

"No, I don't.  I know it's hard when Haru turns black because he isn't himself, but you're a great martial artist!" She squeezed his hand.  "And a great martial artist has grace and intelligence!  Just remember that and I'm sure next time you can avoid a fight."

"I'm not a great martial artist – and don't argue with me on that!  'Cause I would know, and no offense, but you're clueless on the subject."

"I know, gomen!"

"Yeah well, if Haru even stops being a psychopath, I'll try and take your advice."

For a brief and utterly perfect moment, Tooru beamed.  At him.  Yes, that's right.  At the cat.

"Oh, look," she said, turning to a neon blue flyer.  "They're having a battle of the bands!  That looks so cool!  We should go!"

We… as in Kyou and Tooru we?

"Actually, you should try out for it!  Since you're learning the piano."

"Cheh.  I haven't learned it yet, and I'm not likely to found a band in what, three weeks?"

"Oh, I guess not.  But that would have been fun, ne?"

"Sure," he smiled.  "Maybe so."

Then, suddenly,

"Oh no!  I forgot!"  She took her hand back, but she was doing that cute flustery thing again.

"Huh, nani?"

"Oh, uh… nothing."  She certainly couldn't tell Kyou where she was headed!  It felt so wrong to lie to Kyou, but what else could she do?  "I just uh, have to go to the bathroom, and um, I've been out of class for too long."

"It's only been a couple minutes."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't want Sensei to be upset with me.  So, I should run.  See you in a bit!"

"Yeah."

And off she ran, Kyou watching until she disappeared around another corner.  Well, well, who was lucky now?  The stupid rat hadn't had a moment with Tooru since their walk to school that morning, and what were the chances their walk compared to this?  Maybe he had held her hand, but so had Kyou.  Feeling on top of the world, Kyou turned that corner to see Yuki coming out of class.

"Good, I was hoping I wouldn't have to look at you in class," Kyou said.

"You don't have to anyway," Yuki said and brushed on by.

'Smug little rat.'  Didn't matter, though.  Kyou smirked.  His hand still felt warm from holding hers.  Hopefully Tooru wouldn't run into him on the way back from the girls' room-

Oh.  Crap.

No, it couldn't be.  They weren't.  But they could… and she was so nervous…

'DAMMIT!'  He pounded the cinderblock wall and grit his teeth, but opted for falling against it instead of putting a hole in it.

All right.  So there was something going on between Yuki and Tooru.  It didn't matter.  It also didn't matter that he had only just figured it out.  And there was no use in wondering how long it had been going on.

Of course, none of THAT actually mattered.

"It can't be this way.  It can't, it CAN'T!" he whispered forcefully.  "She can't be with the rat."

And then it hit him.  Which was worse – Tooru with the rat, or Tooru with him?

If only there was something he could do about it. 

The last thing he wanted to do was mess up her happiness, but Tooru hadn't seemed to show a preference between them until that accident.  What if… what if she had liked them both but Yuki made the first move?  It was too much to hope for and yet… she had always loved the cat.  Not him specifically, but he was the cat.  And she had been so tender during his difficult time… the same with Yuki.  Hmm.  Now that he thought about it, it didn't seem so unlikely.  Perhaps she could have feelings for him – but given a choice, who would she pick?  He wasn't so certain about that.  But if she was never presented with a choice, he would never know.

And he would remain legally insane for the rest of his life and end up being that old man who wanders the streets unshaven, carrying mysterious items in grocery bags and muttering odd things much too loudly.

So it was settled.  He would go ahead with his plan to tell Tooru how he felt.  His nonexistent plan…

Well, what were his options.  There was always just telling her.

Ha ha.  No.

He could try writing it.  That would be the second most torturous option.  Or maybe he could dedicate a song to her on the radio.  No, too chancy.  Who knew if she'd be listening at the right time?  Or, he could learn to play a song that spoke his heart, get some people to play with him and try out for that battle of the bands, where she would definitely be.

And she would be so impressed.

He grinned.

It was perfect.

I haven't really edited about half of this, so apologies for any rough places.    Please let me know what you think!  Suggestions for improvements are always welcome!  Oh, and you can always view my progress for upcoming chapters in my info page thingy.


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